40: Chapter 40 Check up

The air in the Afterlife Bar seemed to be brewed from alcohol, gunpowder, and countless legendary tales.

Jackie took the lead, navigating the crowded room with practiced ease, his broad back radiating excitement.

"How's it feel, brothers?" he asked, glancing back, his lowered voice brimming with irrepressible excitement. "The Afterlife! The soul of the city! Once we finish this job for Dexter, our names are going to be carved on the drink menu here, right alongside Johnny Silverhand and Morgan Blackhand!"

Lin Yi followed by his side, his gaze like a precision scanner, calmly sweeping over the faces under the dim lights.

This place was teeming with deals, betrayals, and fleeting alliances; it was the intersection of countless key nodes in his "memory."

Jackie's enthusiasm was like the neon lights of Night City—never-extinguishing, dazzling, and full of vitality—but deep down, Lin Yi harbored something more complex: a prudence born from knowing the dangers ahead.

He smiled, his tone carrying the banter only partners understood: "Don't worry about carving your name yet, Jackie. Think about how to keep our story from becoming just another memorial drink at the Afterlife."

V walked on Lin Yi's other side, her attire unrecognizable from a few months ago.

A well-fitted jacket had replaced her corporate uniform, her cargo pants pockets were stuffed with utility tools, and her sharp, short hair added a touch of efficiency.

Hearing this, the corners of her mouth curled up. "As long as the payout is worth the risk, I don't care about legends..." She paused, her gaze sweeping over the people in the shadows. "Let's just worry about surviving until then."

A hulking man with a guarded look blocked their path—one of Dexter's men.

"Mr. Deshawn is occupied. Wait at the bar," he said, his tone brooking no argument.

The trio, accustomed to this, headed straight for the iconic bar.

Claire the bartender still wore that look of calm, having seen it all.

"Claire! The usual!" Jackie tapped the counter, his voice booming. "Two 'Bacchus' for my brothers here! As for me—" He drew out the tone, "—I want something different today. A 'Johnny Silverhand'! Gotta taste what a legend is like ahead of time!"

Claire nodded silently, mixing the drinks with practiced movements.

When the blue liquid was pushed toward Jackie, he picked it up and examined it like a treasure.

After downing a few spicy gulps, the legend's story seemed to burn in his blood.

He turned to Claire and asked the question that haunted many mercenaries: "Hey, Claire, what does it take to get a drink named after you?"

Claire raised an eyelid, her voice devoid of emotion: "Simple. Die on the way to becoming a legend, or actually become one."

Jackie laughed heartily and slapped his thigh: "Direct! I like it! Then mark down my recipe! Vodka on the rocks, lime juice, ginger beer, and the most important part—" He winked at Lin Yi and V, "—a dash of love!"

Lin Yi picked up his "Bacchus," took a sip, and the flavor—quite mellow for this era—exploded on his taste buds.

Watching Jackie's enthusiasm and catching a glimpse of the faint, infectious yearning for the future in V's eyes, the heaviness Lin Yi felt from knowing the plot seemed to lighten.

Perhaps his arrival could truly change some things.

Just then, Dexter's man reappeared. "Mr. Deshawn will see you now."

The three exchanged a look, and the relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly.

Jackie took a deep breath, Lin Yi's gaze returned to its habitual calm analysis, and V subconsciously checked the holster at her side.

They followed the hulking man toward the booth in the depths of the bar, a symbol of opportunity and immense risk.

The light in the booth was even dimmer than outside. Dexter Deshawn's massive frame was sunk into the sofa like a silent mountain.

He held a cigar, the swirling smoke obscuring his expression, but the aura of complete control was palpable.

"Sit," he said succinctly.

The three sat down. Dexter's gaze swept over their faces one by one, finally resting on Jackie, clearly the leader, but he also gave Lin Yi and V a meaningful look, having clearly done his homework.

"No point in wasting words," Dexter said, getting straight to the point. "There's a job. The target is to bring back a chip from Yorinobu Arasaka's suite in Konpeki Plaza. The pay is enough for you to live in luxury for the rest of your lives. If you pull it off, maybe you can even leave your names at the Afterlife."

Hearing "Arasaka" and "Konpeki Plaza," V's brow furrowed imperceptibly, but she quickly regained her composure. Lin Yi felt a chill in his heart: the key node had finally arrived.

"But before that," Dexter shifted gears, projecting a file onto the table, "there's a prerequisite. I had some goods ordered from Maelstrom, but their leadership has changed—some guy named Royce. The deal was for a robot called a 'flathead,' which is also key to completing your mission. Go to the All Foods Factory and get it back."

The file displayed information on a Militech special operations supervisor—Meredith Stout.

"Once you have the flathead, we'll talk about the specific plan for Konpeki Plaza." Dexter took a puff of his cigar. "I'll have my best netrunner, T-Bug, assist you at all times. Any questions?"

—[Said to be assistance, actually surveillance]

Jackie looked at Lin Yi and V, asking with his eyes.

Lin Yi nodded imperceptibly.

V responded concisely: "Understood."

"Very good." Dexter flashed a smile that suggested everything was under control. "Go prepare. Good luck... future legends."

Walking out of the booth and back into the bustling main hall of the Afterlife, Jackie rubbed his hands excitedly: "How about that? I told you it was a big score!"

V analyzed calmly: "The target is Arasaka, and it's Yorinobu's suite. The risk level is too high. And we have to deal with Maelstrom first..."

Lin Yi took over, his brain whirring at high speed, his [Insight] analysis and data modeling capabilities instinctively outlining the mission: "To put it plainly, it's a test to see if we're actually qualified before we start. This job has high risk and high reward. The key is this 'flathead' and the Militech contact. Stout..." He looked at V and Jackie. "We can't just treat this as a simple pickup mission. Perhaps we can... strike a deal with this Militech supervisor."

A glimmer of calculation flashed in his eyes.

Knowing the plot gave him the advantage to see opportunities to secure more agency and resources for himself and his team outside of Dexter's plan.

Contacting Stout was not just a means to complete the mission; it might also be a hidden move for the future.

"Let's go," Lin Yi said. "Jackie, you go scout out the situation near the All Foods Factory first. V, you come with me to meet this Meredith Stout. Let's see how we can leverage Militech to our advantage."

The team quickly divided the tasks. As they walked out of the "Afterlife," the gears of fate began to spin faster.